Back to results
US 2009/0154050 A1Published application
Spark gap apparatus and method for electrostatic discharge protection
AssigneeResearch In Motion Limited
InventorsTim O. Cheung, Douglas Edgar Fregin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for providing electrostatic discharge protection includes a plurality of conductive circumferential extensions defined by overlapping circular voids between a first conductor surface and a second conductor surface.
Claims20
An apparatus for providing electrostatic discharge protection, comprising:
- a conductor deposited on a first side of a surface material, the conductor being laser ablated by overlapping laser footprints to form a plurality of voids that separate the conductor into first and second conductor elements;
- and
- a series of conductive circumferential extensions formed in each of the first and second conductor elements at the intersections of the laser footprints, the series of conductive circumferential extensions comprising a series of opposing, spaced apart electrodes on each of the first and second conductor elements, each extension having a tip directed toward the tip of the opposing extension, and the opposing tips of the opposing electrodes on each of the first and second conductor elements being separated by a gap spacing determined by an amount of overlap between overlapping laser footprints, the gap spacing defining an amount of electrostatic discharge protection of the apparatus.
A mobile communication device, comprising:
- a housing comprising at least one outer conductive housing surface;
- a printed circuit board carrying an electrical subsystem and placed within the housing, the electrical subsystem comprising a ground;
- and
- a spark gap electrode interposed between the outer conductive surface of the housing and the ground of the electrical subsystem to protect the electrical subsystem from electrostatic discharge entering the mobile communication device from the conductive housing surface;
- wherein the spark gap electrode comprises:
- a conductor deposited on a first side of a surface material, the conductor being laser ablated by overlapping laser footprints to form a plurality of voids that separate the conductor into first and second conductor elements;
- and
- a plurality of conductive circumferential extensions formed in each of the first and second conductor elements at the intersections of the laser footprints, the plurality of conductive circumferential extensions comprising a plurality of opposing, spaced apart electrodes on each of the first and second conductor elements, each extension having a tip directed toward the tip of the opposing extension, and the opposing tips of the opposing electrodes on each of the first and second conductor elements being separated by a gap spacing that defines an amount of electrostatic discharge protection.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.